[Ender's Game wins the sci-fi slot by any definition you can go with- practically all sci-fi readers have read and like Ender's Game, and many love it
It depends which fans of SF and from what cultural background you're talking about. I've met many people who would define themselves as big readers of SF who can't abide any of Card's fiction, writing (and much less, his opinions). Very liberal/progressive leaning people in particular have fairly little love for Card or his novels, even Ender's Game. I would say he's way too controversial with some crowds at least, to be qualified as "universally loved" (there's also the fact a fair percentage of SF readers find the Ender series fairly light weight compared to the works of say, someone like Frank Herbert).
Same for Robin Hobb. Unlike Card she doesn't generate much in terms of heated debates (I never met convinced Hobb haters, at least), but I for one never liked (not even finished) any of her novels and I know many who simply ignore her novels, either because they've tried and didn't like it like me, or because friends who know their tastes in Fantasy recommended they skip Hobb (I wouldn't exactly recommend Hobb to anyone who tell me their ideal fantasy writer is someone like Steven Erikson or Bakker, for example).
I don't think there's any work that makes unanimity in Fantasy or SF, no more than there really is in other genres. Even among the established classics, you need to go quite a bit back in time before you come across works which importance is anything like universally appreciated (let alone close to universally loved) .
Is there a universally liked fantasy book?
06/04/2012 08:51:12 PM
- 1779 Views
I like The Fionavar Tapestry, but I don't expect everybody does.
06/04/2012 09:08:18 PM
- 1208 Views
Not really
07/04/2012 01:23:38 AM
- 1111 Views
That surprises me. I would think you'd have enjoyed LIONS or TIGANA. *NM*
07/04/2012 07:39:08 AM
- 458 Views
i love ggk. haven't read the other one. interesting question... curious to see what comes of it
07/04/2012 03:19:45 AM
- 967 Views
Simply--no.
07/04/2012 04:37:16 PM
- 1351 Views
Hm. I think it'd be hard to hate David Eddings' The Belgariad
09/04/2012 06:32:49 PM
- 908 Views
That only counts for those who have nostalgic feelings for it, I'm afraid. *NM*
09/04/2012 08:45:48 PM
- 422 Views
Yes, trying to read it for the first time aged 19 wasn't an enjoyable experience.
10/04/2012 01:03:19 AM
- 914 Views
More like having your love for it curdle into hate after reading the Mallorean, Elenium & Tamuli
10/04/2012 02:42:49 PM
- 1118 Views
Ha, at least in Mallorean it was a plot point (albeit a lame one)
10/04/2012 03:52:27 PM
- 1030 Views
I would've thought Tigana.
10/04/2012 04:24:56 AM
- 920 Views
I love Tigana, but yeah, Wibble's not the only one who doesn't.
10/04/2012 07:13:00 PM
- 925 Views
Oh, that's a really good question.
10/04/2012 08:52:51 PM
- 1017 Views
Re: Oh, that's a really good question.
10/04/2012 11:33:36 PM
- 950 Views